1 comments about Oxford & Cambridge.

1. I am utterly fascinated by anything university and anything British. This book was the best of both. Oxford is one of my favorite places to visit in the world. The author is possessed of the requisite sardonic British humour and the information, as well as the entertainment, is nonstop. A must-read if you are at all interested in the subject.

No comments about California Design: The Legacy of West Coast Craft and Style.

No comments about Fields of Vision: The Photographs of Ben Shahn: The Library of Congress (Fields of Vision).

2 comments about Franz Kline.

1. This book is a very complete and enlightening survey of Kline's art. The author chronogically covers all the aspects of the artist's oeuvre and, though it was written some 22 years ago, this publication is a must-have for anyone interested in the abstract expressionist movement. Many major paintings are thoroughly described, the text quotes many friends of Kline's (dealers and critics)stating previously unpublished opinions and is a rich trove of information.
   
   The illustrations are unfortunately not as good as they would have been had the book been published more recently, which is why I do not give it 5 stars.



2. Franz Kline (1910 - 1962), surely one of the most individual artists, began as a representational painter, focusing largely on landscapes. It was in the latter 1940s that he began his landmark exploration of abstractionism, achieving plaudits with his black and white presentations.

   Art historian and teacher Dr. Harry Gaugh spent some two decades researching the life and work of Kline. This amazing volume is testament to his study. "Franz Kline" holds over 170 illustrations and a fascinating account of the life of this landmark artist who died far too young at 51 years of age.

   Dr. Gaugh utilizes interviews and correspondence (including Kline's personal letters) to offer a vivid picture of the artist as a student in Boston and London , then later as a part of Greenwich Village where he executed bar murals to keep the wolf from the door.

   Kline's development as an artist is a compelling study, and an evocation of an important time in our cultural history.

   - Gail Cooke

1 comments about Feeding Desire: Design and the Tools of the Table, 1500-2005.

1. From contemporary food design to the spectacle of eighteenth-century aristocratic feasts, this book examines the history of cutlery and dining ritual. A broad offering of [great, beautiful] pictures, and collection of texts that explore the social meanings and fascinating forms of table settings. A truly fascinating book. Somewhat specific, but highly recommended!

3 comments about Deborah Butterfield.

1. Not for Deborah Butterfield the bronzes of Frederick Remington, who saw horses as active partners of active men. Her horses are....themselves. Individuals. With distinct personalities. And great souls. If you love animals, these will steal your affection as surely as if they were great cats or dogs.
   
   What's surprising about Butterfield's horses is their construction. She began by making them of sticks, wire and mud. (And by building them big --- they're taller than most horses.) From the beginning, she could use these unpromising materials to deliver the essence of a horse. What she could not deliver was permanence. So she learned to use disposable materials as the mold of the sculpture, and then to cast it in bronze that retained the texture of wood, wire and mud. Careful painting completes the work.
   
   Butterfield breaks fresh ground with every horse. And why not? She thinks of her sculptures as self-portraits --- as explorations of her animal nature. Maybe that's why so many of her sculptures seem to be female. And why they connect on such a deeply emotional level.
   
   This beautiful book contains 75 full-color plates. It is the ideal gift for horse lovers --- and that includes girls who are mad for horses and are ready to dream about them in a new way. But even considered just as a coffee-table book, 'Deborah Butterfield' passes every test, starting with the shallowest --- your guests will gravitate to it, flip through it, and say, "Where did you get this?"



2. The work deborah butterfield does is so amazing. The grace and fluidity she is able to capture of the horses is remarkable, and I am not a horse lover. I love fine sculpture and her horse sculptures are amazing. Each one is different and rich and I can visualize the animals as she saw them. The images in the book are remarkable representations of her work and the text easy to read.



3. My heart swells with pride and admiration. What a wonderful tribute to an artist that completely captures the spirit and nature of the majesic equine beast she loves. The line and content of her work is perfect. How marvelous that her work is across the nation, how poetic and musical is the word that describes her work. A marvelous book.

3 comments about The Playful Eye: An Album of Visual Delight.

1. The Playful Eye: An Album of Visual Delight
   by Julian Rothenstein
   
   If you love to play with optical illusions, & would like to enjoy further visual diversion off the beaten path, please get hold of this wonderful book & add it to your personal library.
   
   The Playful Eye is certainly a virtual feast of ingenious games & visual tricks gathered from around the world.
   
   The author has done an excellent job in putting this wonderful compendium together. Kudos!



2. It is rare when you come across a book on optical illusions that has something new to offer, but this is what sets The Playful Eye apart from many of the other optical illusion books currently on the market.

   The Playful Eye is a wonderful collection of classic illusions that were printed on obscure puzzle cards, postcards, trading cards, advertisements, and the like during the late 19th to mid 20th century. The editors have done a remarkable job in collecting these illusions from obscure source material and private collections. What is even more remarkable, and in my mind, one of the best aspects of this charming collection, is the amount of research that they put in labeling the sources for each image. This is a real reference tool for an illusion collector like myself.

   The illustrations are wonderful and you are bound to see images that are not seen elsewhere. Lots and lots of fun!




3. I love books that make you view things in ways that are unexpected--this book was a treat for my eyes and my brain. I enjoyed the compilation of vivid illustrations from various cultures and periods. I went through the book once to enjoy all of the wonderfully detailed illustrations, then I went back through the book again to tease my mind with the visual play in each one of those colorful pictures. This book is fun and can be enjoyed over and over again.

No comments about Maternal-Newborn and Child Nursing: Family Centered Care Skills Manual.

2 comments about Gustave Baumann: Nearer to Art.

1. While the collection of images included is not exhaustive of all work done by Baumann, it provides a thorough sampling of his life work and details the process by which he created his masterpieces. Excellent book. FYI, my understanding is that a new compendium will be done in 2008 that should be a good complement to this book.



2. A nicely crafted book that covers all bases in this artists career. Great reproductions of the prints, well-written text and a solid book to hold in your hand. History on Baumann covers beginning of career to the end with just a touch of the technical side of this art form. Certainly inspired me!

4 comments about 100 Posters, 134 Squirrels: A Decade of Hot Dogs, Large Mammals, and Independent Rock: The Handcrafted Art of Jay Ryan (Punk Planet Books).

1. In a landscape where the bravado and bluster of busty cartoon pin-ups was the norm, Jay Ryan's work seems downright radical in its understated, yet evocative approach. Jay's talents somehow make me want to see a concert and buy a Caldecott Medal winner in equal measure. A+



2. The first collection of poster artist Jay Ryan is both a biography and an art celebration: it gathers his works from rock clubs to galleries and arrives not alone but supplemented by essays from other involved in the music, design and poster worlds. Full-color reproductions of his works supplement these insights to create an excellent catalog of screenprint poster genius: a must for any collecting underground poster art.



3. This book is absolutely essential for all fans of illustration, poster art, and contemporary design. One of the best books you will find on an american poster artist, the layout is top-notch with original drawings for some of Jay's posters next to the finished pieces. Having watched Jay make his work for Ten years, it is great to see such a powerful survey packed into such a beautiful book.



4. Maybe Narducy of Evanston is kidding, but just to clarify for the kids in New York, Los Angeles, and Berlin--this IS the Jay Ryan based in Chicago, dude. And this book of his posters should grace the collection of any art student or indie music fan...
   
   ps. it would be great if Amazon would fix the typo in the title--it's "Decade," not "Secade."